4 THE PHILOSOPHY 



Senfatlon, motion, and ftrudture of parts, give animals a more 

 extenfive range in their connexion with external objedls. A cer- 

 tain portion of intelled:, joined to the vital principle, feem to be the 

 moft diftinguifhing properties of animals, and to conftitute their ef- 

 fence or being. Animals will, determine, a£t, and have a commu- 

 nication with diftant objeds by their fenfes. They have the laws 

 of nature, in fome meafure, at command. They protedt themfelves 

 from injury by employing force, fwiftnefs, addrefs, and cunning. 

 But vegetables remain fixed in the fame place, and are fubjedl to 

 every thing that moves. Animals eat at intervals ; their food re- 

 quires time for digeftion, and to anfwer the complicated purpofes 

 of fecretion and nutrition. The ftrucSture of plants is morefimple: 

 They receive perpetual nourilhment without injury. Animals 

 fearch for and feleft particular kinds of food. But plants mufl: 

 receive whatever is brought to them by the different elements. 

 Animals exlft on the furface and in the interior parts of the earth,, 

 in the air, in water, in the bodies of men and other animals, in the 

 internal parts of plants, and even in ftones. But, if we except a-. 

 few aquatics, plants are fixed to the earth by roots. 



All animals, it has been affirmed, have a heart, or particular 

 fountain for propelling and diftributing their fluids to the different 

 parts of their bodies : But caterpillars, and many other infeds, have 

 BO fuch general receptacle. 



The loco- motive faculty has been confidered as peculiar to ani- 

 mals. But even this character is extremely fufpicious. Cyders, 

 fea-nettles, the gall-infeds, and a variety of other animals, can 

 hardly be fald to enjoy the power of local motion. Many fpe- 

 cles remain for ever fixed to the rocks on which, they are produced,^ 

 and have no .motion but that of extending or contrading their 

 bodies. Befides, examples of differeut kinds of motion are dif- 



coveiabla- 



